


A Family In Danger

by dairesfanficrefuge_archivist



Category: The Sentinel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2001-07-22
Updated: 2001-07-22
Packaged: 2018-12-18 06:09:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11868288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dairesfanficrefuge_archivist/pseuds/dairesfanficrefuge_archivist
Summary: Note from Daire, the archivist: this story was originally archived atDaire's Fanfic Refuge. Deciding to give the stories a more long-term home, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address onDaire's Fanfic Refuge's collection profile.





	A Family In Danger

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Daire, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Daire's Fanfic Refuge](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Daire%27s_Fanfic_Refuge). Deciding to give the stories a more long-term home, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Daire's Fanfic Refuge's collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/dairesfanficrefuge/profile).

A Family In Danger by KarenK

_A Family In Danger_

By KarenK 

A _Sentinel_ fanfic 

**Status:** unfinished 

* * *

**PART 1**

Detective James Ellison sat back and released a breath. Simon Banks, his Captain, had called him and his partner Blair Sandburg in. He told Jim about how a videotape had arrived with no return address for Ellison. Banks, worried, had had the package checked before opening it. After seeing it he thought it was important for Jim to see it too. Ellison had to admit it had thrown him. 

The tape was of a pregnant young woman, maybe twenty-five years old. Someone had followed....no, stalked her from a distance. Ellison didn't know her but apparently the person stalking had. He offered a challenge to Ellison: save the woman and Ellison's unborn child before the stalker killed them. 

Jim had put aside a little at a sperm bank knowing that being a cop was dangerous and you never knew when your life would end. Better safe than sorry, and this way whatever happened he could still be the father he wanted to be one day. 

Jim had called the bank right after seeing the tape and they had said they had mistakenly given a client his donation. They didn't know how it had happened and they were searching their records but they couldn't find the client. It seems around the same time their computer had crashed taking with it every record. They had paper copies that were current and being re-entered into the computer but there were thousands of boxes filled with records to sort through before finding the client who'd gotten the wrong donation. 

"Are you taking this seriously?" Blair asked. 

"I don't have a choice, even if she isn't the one, she may still be in danger. Whoever it is wants to destroy me and this would be a good way to do it." Blair saw the pain in his friend's blue eyes. He knew that Jim and Carolyn had divorced and Jim had dated steadily but still hadn't found the right woman despite being ready for the family and house kind of stuff. 

Ellison had been raised by his father's housekeeper along with his brother since his father seemed to prefer working to raising his children. He had talked honestly with his father after a case had brought him home and placed his father's life in danger. Despite now being friends, it couldn't erase years of bitterness that would come with time. 

Ellison had been born special, what they call a Sentinel. There were people in the world who had a heightened sense or two, but Jim and Alex were the only ones Blair knew that had all five senses. Jim was a walking crime lab and Blair had helped him fine-tune his abilities. Alex had gotten greedy and become overwhelmed by her senses causing her to go catatonic and she was now a resident of a long-term care facility. 

Both Blair and Jim knew to take it slowly and work on each sense and skill with care. He'd been the only survivor of his troop of Army Rangers in a crash in Brazil and his senses heightened naturally while he waited the eighteen months until his rescue. He hadn't been aware of it, and when he returned to Cascade he suppressed his abilities without thinking about it. A few days on a stakeout in the middle of nowhere had caused his senses to explode full force and in seeking help for it, he'd met Blair. 

Blair had posed as a doctor to get close to Jim after a nurse he'd been dating called him about Jim's problem. Ellison had been angry at first, but after a while he realized he needed help and Blair seemed to be the only one who could offer it. At first it was kept strictly between them, then they had included Simon into the group. 

Blair and Ellison worked as a team solving cases and honing Ellison's senses. He'd listened to the tape with Ellison and Banks and he could tell Jim had used his senses to see if he could learn more from the tape but from the look on Jim's face it was doubtful. 

"So how do we find a woman we don't know, whose address we don't know? When we do that how do we approach her and explain she got the wrong test tube and thanks to that, a killer has marked her for death?" Simon asked. 

"I have no idea. I got nothing from the tape. Whoever he is, he screened the tape carefully for anything that could I.D. the place or the woman," replied Ellison. 

"You mean we might not find her until she shows in the morgue?!" Blair asked concerned and mentally kicked himself when he saw both Simon and Jim wince. 

"That just about spells it out Chief." 

* * *

Ellison flung the files at the wall scattering the papers. 

"Jim?!" cried Blair. 

"We're getting nowhere Chief, and I've never been more frustrated in my life. Trying to find a twenty-something in Cascade, let alone the world, is like looking for a needle in a haystack!" he complained. 

"I know, Jim, but we have to keep looking." 

"I know I'm just letting off some frustration." A knock on the door brought their attention to it. Ellison crossed to the door and opened it to find Simon Banks standing there. He said nothing handed a tape to Ellison. He took it and headed quickly over to the VCR. Putting it in the VCR, hit play, and sat down when the tape began because he wasn't sure he could take what it said standing up. 

* * *

He watched the tape, which seemed more of the same as the first tape was. Taunting Ellison about whether or not he could find the girl before it was too late. Suddenly, Ellison stopped the tape and rewound it to a spot and played it again. 

"Jim?" asked a puzzled Simon. 

"I think I may have a clue to her whereabouts," was all he said before raising and going to the desk and pulled out the phone book. He flipped a few pages and then ran a hand down a page before grabbing his jacket and heading for the door. "You coming Chief?" he asked Sandburg. 

* * *

Ellison frantically searched the area around the church for the woman. Whoever the guy was, he'd left a clue on the last tape. He had recognized the church's distinctive bells and came to see if the woman might return. He turned and bumped into a woman, nearly knocking her down. "I'm sorry, I...." he trailed off as he realized the woman was the one he'd been looking for. 

"Being a klutz?" she teased. 

"James Ellison. Miss...?" he asked. 

"Alexandra Russell, James Ellison." She smiled at him. 

"I'm sorry, I hope I didn't hurt the baby." 

"Junior and I are tough and can handle a little jostling." She giggled at his stricken look. 

"Can I take you to dinner to apologize?" he offered. 

"We never pass up a free meal, right junior?" she asked as she stroked her belly. 

Blair raced up. "Jim, I...." he stopped as he spotted Alexandra. 

"A friend?" she asked. 

"My roommate." 

"Oh," she said, but Jim flushed. 

"We're just roommates." 

"I didn't ask, but that does tell me whether or not I should flirt with you," she teased. 

"Sandburg, why don't you go tell Simon what's going on and I'll tend to the lady," Ellison said. 

"You always get the good jobs," Sandburg playfully complained before leaving. 

"So, how about you walk me to the church office so I can drop these off and we'll exchange the info the insurance asks for whenever one bumps into another," she responded teasingly. 

Jim nodded and took her files as he steered her towards the church. "You work at the church?" he asked. 

"I do some work for them, but I do research and the Father has been such a help in my search for my ancestors, so it's the least I could do." 

Off to the side a man watched Ellison hold the door for Alex and he smiled maliciously. 

* * *

Jim saw to the files getting to the priest and then took Alex to a nearby diner. He settled her into a chair and then motioned for the waitress. She headed over and placed a menu in front of either of them. "What will you have to drink?" she asked; they gave her their drink order and she left. 

"So tell me about yourself?" she asked. 

"Jim Ellison, born here in Cascade. Father and brother Steven, mom deceased and I went into the Army Rangers for a while before joining the Cascade P.D." 

"You're a cop." She smiled wickedly. 

"Yes, young lady, a detective with the Major Crimes Squad, so you better be good," he teased. The waitress returned with their drinks and took their order before leaving again. "What about you?" he asked her. 

"Me? Nothing special. I'm a genealogist, so I search for dead people." 

"Sounds like we're doing the same job," he teased. 

"Usually mine are not as fresh as yours." She giggled. 

"Yeah, you're right about that and you don't have to find out why they died and who did it." 

"Well, actually I don't find out who but some people like knowing the causes of death. Some because it's quaint to hear how they recorded the person's death a hundred years ago. Others because it tells things, like cancer runs in the family and they should be careful to watch for signs of the disease in themselves. If nothing, it's interesting to see what kind of people a person comes from," said Alex. 

"Sounds as if you'd make a good cop." He reached out and took her hand in his and began to rub her wrist with his thumb. She smiled at him, then tensed and Ellison looked over his shoulder at what had caused her to tense up. 

A man with dark hair and eyes stared at her and Ellison. When he saw that Jim held her hand, his pleasant expression turned vicious for a moment before he covered it. He walked over to them and Alex snatched her hand from Jim's. 

"Well Alex, it's nice to see you," he said with a sweetness to his tone that seemed forced. He looked at Ellison with an assessing gaze and a sneer of distaste. 

"Larago," she said tonelessly as if she wanted to be doing anything but talk to the man. 

"Who's your friend?" 

"I'm...." Ellison began. 

"A friend, and we were having a private conversation, so if you don't mind..." she told him dismissively. 

"Of course, if you'll excuse me," he responded before leaving. He watched her as she watched him leave and then the tension slowly bled out of her body. Jim wondered just what was between the two of them to make her react like she had. 

"Are you okay?" he asked worriedly as he rubbed her hands in attempt to warm them up. 

"Yeah, some people just don't understand 'go away'." She laughed without humor. 

"If he's harassing you...." 

"No, it's nothing," she said in an attempt to calm him. 

"So why do I get the feeling you were looking for me when we ran....literally into each other at the church?" 

She smiled and Ellison felt a warmth settle over him. Jim took a deep breath and looked at her with a concerned expression. "What? What is it?" she asked. 

"Your baby's father?" 

"I wanted a child, but not a husband so I went the medical route." 

"New Beginnings In Vitro Clinic?" he asked and Alex tensed as she sat up straighter. 

"Yes," she answered hesitately. 

"I was married and it didn't work out. I knew as a cop I lived a dangerous life so I put aside a little something in case of emergency." 

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked in a worried voice. 

"It seems the place I set it aside had computer problems and my sample got mixed up with others. It was mistakenly...." he trailed off. 

"Let me get this straight, are you trying to tell me that you're the father of my child?" she asked as her voice quavered. "No! You're wrong. Even if this were true they wouldn't tell you who I was or where to find me." 

"They didn't." Jim knew he may have said the wrong thing when she gasped and pulled her hands away and curled them protectively over her stomach. "I recieved a tape from someone, an enemy is all I know at the moment. He took the blame for the computer screwup and crash. The tape was of you, not who you were or where, but enough that I was able to get a physical description. The second tape was able to give me some clues as to where I could find out even more, if not when." 

"Some creep is taunting you about the fact that you're the father of my child and what?" she asked sounding close to tears. 

"Your life is in danger, I may be your child's father. We won't know until the baby's born and tested, but he believes it to be true and it's enough for him." 

"So, what? Do I live my life in fear hoping he doesn't know we've met? Or maybe go into hiding forever? Or just say screw it and put a bullet in my brain?" she asked angrily. 

"Not forever; as for the bullet, no; and the fear, that's up to you." Alex took the napkin in her hands and began to shred it without realizing as she stared out the window. Ellison placed his hands over hers, stopping their motion. "I'll take care of you," he said. 

"Until the baby's born, and then what? If he isn't yours you dump me on the street, if he is you dump me and keep the kid?" Alex asked sarcastically. 

"No, I take my promises seriously, and regardless of who the baby's father is, I will protect you from whoever wants to hurt you. It's my job and my enemy, so it's my problem to deal with. I'm sorry to place you in this...." he said. 

"It's not your fault. You didn't pick me to be the mother of your child anymore than you told this creep to stalk me in hopes of hurting you," Alex responded. "So what do we do now?" 

"Set you up in a safehouse until I catch this guy." 

"You mean _if_ you catch this guy." 

"No, I mean when I catch this guy. I will catch him no matter what to protect you and the baby," he promised her. 

"Somehow I believe you and know you'll catch this guy and keep us safe in the meantime. Somehow I think you're the kind of man who gets exactly what he wants." 

"Then let's get you home to pack some things so we can get you to a safehouse." 

* * *

Ellison saw her to a small cottage set back from the street and surrounded by a fence. "Not a white picket?" he asked teasingly. 

"That kind of fence is for those who have Yorkshire Yerriers, not toddlers," she replied, amused by his attempt at humor. She let herself in and Jim followed her, the cottage was as homey and comforting as he always believed his home would be once he started having children. It shook him to the core to think that in an attempt to hurt him, this unknown enemy may have given him everything he had ever dreamed of. She reached up in a hall closet and started struggling to get a suitcase out. He came over and helped her pull it out. "Thanks, just put it on the bed." He did and she opened it before heading over to the dresser and began removing clothes and placing them in the suitcase. "Can you get my laptop? It's in the den." She pointed to a door across from the bedroom. 

"Sure," he answered and headed over to the door to get her laptop when a noise stopped him. He turned and started back to the bedroom. "Alex?!" he called, panicked, and moments later the window behind her shattered in a thousand pieces as a man lunged through the window grabbing Alex. She screamed in terror and stuggled to get away as Jim came up beside her. He struck the man repeatedly in an attempt to get him to let her go. 

"Jim?!" said a worried Blair from the doorway. He'd gotten Ellison's voice mail and had come just in time. The attacker released Alex and Jim held her arms for a moment checking her over to be sure she was all right before drawing her into a comforting hug. 

"Blair!" he called and Blair came over taking Alex from his arms as Jim raced out of the room and after the man who'd attacked Alex. Blair helped the sobbing woman over to the bed and helped her sit down before checking her over himself to see that she was all right. 

Blair took out his handkerchief and wiped her face as he tried to brush the glass from her hair. Alex's sobs began to stop and she helped brush the glass from her hair and clothes. "Why?" she asked in a quavering voice. 

"Some people are extremely sick," was all he could answer. 

"Gee thanks. Hannibal Lecter wants me and that's the best you can come up with," she answered sarcastically. 

"I'm sorry, it's just...." he began. 

"I know, and I'm not usually this snotty but terror can have a weird effect on a pregnant woman whose hormones are already bouncing off the wall to begin with." She started to giggle and then laugh, falling backwards onto the bed as she laughed. "As I said, weird effects." She gasped between laughs. 

"It's called shock, and it happens to the best of us." Alex sat up and began to rub her arms, Blair took off his jacket and wrapped it around her. 

Jim came back in. "Are you all right?" he asked and she saw the concerned look in his eyes. 

"I'm fine, despite the shower of glass. Can we get out of here?" she asked in a shaky voice. 

"Chief, grab her laptop from the den," Ellison ordered as he helped her stand and then closed her suitcase. He hefted the suitcase and led Alex out to the truck, settling her into the passenger side before putting her suitcase in the back. Blair came out and handed her the laptop he'd retrieved. 

"I'm going to lock up here and see to the window before heading back to the University," said Blair. 

Ellison thanked him and they exchanged their goodbyes before Ellison backed the truck out of the driveway. He drove her to the loft and helped her out of the truck before grabbing her suitcase and laptop. He helped her up to the loft and got her settled on the couch. "Is there anything you need?" 

"Food?" she asked. 

"Anything in particular?" 

"You're asking that of a pregnant woman?" She grinned at him mischievously. 

Ellison took her laptop and placed it in front of her before taking her suitcase up to his bedroom. He came down the stairs to see her working on her laptop and headed into the kitchen and starting preparing dinner. He was almost finished when she came in and took a spoon to sample some sauce in a pot. "Hey! No snitching!" he complained playfully. 

"You expect me to sit in the living room with that wonderful smell and not try some?" She gave him a mock incredoulous look. 

"I get the feeling you were a lot of trouble as a kid and I can only hope the child takes after me." She snorted. "What's that supposed to mean?" 

"If he takes after me he'll be trouble, but I get the feeling taking after you means alot worse," she answered. 

"Oh, yeah!" He threatened her playfully with a spoon. She squealed with glee, allowing the playful moment to relax her. He pressed her up against the wall. "You'll pay for your disrespect, woman," he said, but a moment later they stared at each for what seemed like an eternity. He didn't know if it was the genetic connection they shared in their child, or the fact that she was a beautiful woman and just the stress of the last week but he leaned lower and kissed her gently. 

"Jim?" 

"I'm sorry," he said and started to back away. 

She grabbed him and roughly drew his head down into a deep passionate kiss. "I wasn't complaining, Ellison. I just wanted to make sure you wanted it too." 

He smiled and turned to the stove to turn it off. He turned back and placed his hand on her stomach. "It's too hot in here." 

"I have a feeling it's going to get hotter." 

"Only if you want it to," he told her and she stroked his cheek gently. 

"Jim, I think you talk too much." 

"The baby?" 

"Has no problems with mom and dad having some downtime. It's perfectly healthly into the ninth month." 

"I...." he trailed off. 

"I understand, I'm as big as a house." 

Ellison placed a silencing finger on her lips and then kissed her as he led her up to the bedroom trailing clothes behind them. 

* * *

© 2001   
Please send comments to the author!   
Part 1 added to 02/21/02 

07/22/2001 

* * *


End file.
